Loneliness and social anxiety in the general population over time – results of a cross-lagged panel analysis

Background Loneliness has become a major public health issue of the recent decades due to its severe impact on health and mortality. Little is known about the relation between loneliness and social anxiety. This study aimed (1) to explore levels of loneliness and social anxiety in the general population, and (2) to assess whether and how loneliness affects symptoms of social anxiety and vice versa over a period of five years. Methods The study combined data from the baseline assessment and the five-year follow-up of the population-based Gutenberg Health Study. Data of N = 15 010 participants at baseline ( M age = 55.01, s.d. age = 11.10) were analyzed. Multiple regression analyses with loneliness and symptoms of social anxiety at follow-up including sociodemographic, physical illnesses, and mental health indicators at baseline were used to test relevant covariates. Effects of loneliness on symptoms of social anxiety over five years and vice versa were analyzed by autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation models. Results At baseline, 1076 participants (7.41%) showed symptoms of social anxiety and 1537 (10.48%) participants reported feelings of loneliness. Controlling for relevant covariates, symptoms of social anxiety had a small significant effect on loneliness five years later (standardized estimate of 0.164, p < 0.001). Vice versa, there was no significant effect of loneliness on symptoms of social anxiety taking relevant covariates into account. Conclusions Findings provided evidence that symptoms of social anxiety are predictive for loneliness. Thus, prevention and intervention efforts for loneliness need to address symptoms of social anxiety.